


The Devil by Lamp-Light

by solikethesea



Category: Bandom, My Chemical Romance
Genre: 19th Century, Alternate History, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Backstory, Better Living Industries, Blimps & Dirigibles, Break Up, Earn Your Happy Ending, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Families of Choice, Family Feels, Family Secrets, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Enemies, Gen, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Long, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Planning What's Planning, Revolution, Sign Language, Sky Pirates, Slavery, Suicidal Thoughts, The Author Regrets Everything, Trauma, because why the fuck not, mute character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 10:16:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5703970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solikethesea/pseuds/solikethesea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years ago, Gerard, Frank and Mikey were brought together by unfortunate circumstance. Since then, things have changed.</p><p>Frank has spent the better part of the last three years trying to forget that Gerard ever existed. Mikey has been living with Ray and learning how to be a (somewhat) respectable member of society.</p><p>And Gerard? For a long time, nobody knew. But now he's returned, and he's brought trouble with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Devil by Lamp-Light

**Author's Note:**

> happy (late) bday to [the NERD](http://trans-boy-gerardway.tumblr.com) (jk ily, i even started writing this MONSTER of a fic so i can hurt aaaaaaall ur fave characters just to show how much i care)
> 
> anyways happy bday friendo i hope u enjoy B)

Frank looked around the bar. His companion had chosen the meeting place, and he'd chosen a pretty unsavory one. The tables were scratched to hell and back, the little upholstery that remained on the chairs was stained a dubious shade of brown, and by Frank's estimate at least half the gas lamps scattered around the taproom no longer worked. In short, it made the perfect place for a good drink and a covert meeting. He spotted a group of thieves he knew – hell, he'd worked with them a couple of times – across the room, and watched them until a new figure caught his eye.

"Good to see you back," Frank said as the cloaked form approached his table and sat down across from him. "How was the south?"

"Hot," was the reply. "It's good to be back, too."

Frank smiled, and the man across the table from him lowered his hood. A mess of springy hair was revealed, along with a tanned, smiling face.

"We'll be able to catch up more later, but right now I need to tell you a few things. First, your old hideout around here isn't safe anymore. You can stay with me and Mikey until you find a new one, if you'd like." Ray paused, as if waiting for a response.

Frank considered for a moment, then laughed. "Yeah, sure. It'd be just like old times."

Ray smiled too, but the quip reminded him of the difficulty of his next step in the conversation.

"Speaking of," he began, hoping to head off any of Frank's protestations at the beginning of the conversation, "I also–"

"Whatever you're going to say, Ray, no," Frank said, suddenly serious. "If you're going to name who I think you're going to name, the answer is no. If it doesn't have to do with just you and Mikey, I don't want to hear it."

Ray raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "If you say so. But Mikey and I are going after a bigger target soon. Big enough to bring the whole thing down, we think."

"Alone?" Frank asked.

Ray gave him a look. "No, not alone. And you wouldn't like who's helping us," he said.

"Damn straight," Frank added.

"But if we get this right it'll be huge. We could use your help, Frank," Ray said. "I know you don't like BLI any more than the rest of us, and this is your chance to do something big. This could be the fucking end, Frank, would you give that up over one person?"

Frank opted to glare at the table instead of Ray. "After what he did? Yes. In a second."

"It's been three years. Can't you just let whatever it was go already?"

Frank just glared harder at the scuffed tabletop. The low murmur of conversation throughout the rest of the bar filled the silence, and eventually Ray sighed.

"Fine, have it your way. I won't make you do it if you're so insistent not to. But don't expect Mikey or I to fill you in, either. If you're out now, you're out for the rest of the operation."

"That's just fine," Frank said. "When I said I never wanted to see him again, I meant it, Toro. I'll stay with Dewees while you guys are off working with that, fucking– dandy."

Ray looked like he wanted to say more, but didn't. He nodded and stood, making his way out of the bar. Frank watched him leave, he dropped his head onto the tabletop with a _thunk._

"Whatever, I don't care anyways," he muttered, like he wasn't mostly trying to convince himself.

* * *

Mikey glanced anxiously at the clock on the wall. He tried to focus on the peeling wallpaper behind it, but couldn't; Ray should have been back ten minutes ago. Maybe Frank was just being difficult. Or maybe something bad had happened. Maybe Ray had been injured in an accident. Maybe someone on the wrong side of the law had caught wind of their revolutionary activities,. Maybe there'd been a fight at the bar. Maybe, maybe, maybe, and Mikey couldn't quiet the whirl of nervous thoughts that ran through his mind.

At twelve past nine, twelve minutes after Mikey had expected him, Ray finally reached the apartment. Mikey listened to him unlock the door, push it open on rusty hinges, and then shut it. The squeal of metal on corroded metal did what all his efforts couldn't, and he finally felt calm.

Ray's footsteps fell down the entry hallway and stopped at the bedroom door. "Sorry, kid, Frank's an ass and there was a holdup on the way home."

Mikey turned to face Ray and nodded. _Understand,_ he signed in street patois. _Was worried._

"I know," Ray responded. "Frank refused to work with Gee, I told him that if he's out now he's out for the whole thing. He's going to stay with James Dewees though, so it wasn't a total loss of a meeting, at least."

 _Good he's safe,_ Mikey signed.

"Yeah," Ray said. There was a pause, and Ray began stripping off the layers of street clothes he'd worn to meet Frank. "Let me just change and then we can have dinner."

Mikey nodded again and walked over to the kitchen. They didn't have much food; they never did, but maybe Mikey could go out and procure some more funds for them. Being an insurrectionist was difficult work, after all, and nobody thought twice about the spindly urchin they bumped into on the street.

His thoughts were interrupted by Ray once again.

"Don't worry, I'll get some more soon. I do have a job, after all, you don't need to risk getting yourself caught quite yet."

Mikey nodded, slightly chagrinned. _But_ you _don't have an honest job,_ his brain reminded him. _Nobody wants the local mute as an apprentice. Even Frank won't stick around for you._

Mikey shook his head to dispel the negative thoughts. It worked, a little, but he couldn't entirely dismiss them.

Ray finished preparing dinner and he and Mikey sat down at the table.

"Tomorrow's the day," he said as Mikey began eating, "We get this gig off the ground. I'll tell you the details you're missing in the morning, and then in the afternoon we're meeting up with Gee to finalize everything. After that, a lot of it will be on you two, but remember I can be there anytime you need me. Sound good?"

 _Good,_ Mikey signed back. Frank might not be around, but Ray was, and he shouldn't forget that. _Good luck to us. Can't wait._

**Author's Note:**

> okay ngl im kind of just flying by the seat of my pants. we'll see where this goes, but for now just buckle in with me and PRAY that i figure out what i'm doing before we accidentally wind up stuck in space or something. because it could happen.


End file.
